Blaming the Mizukage

Shimura Danzō and the ninjas under his command raced into battle, charging toward the Cloud Ninja Army, which was still stationed at the Kirigakure Ninja Army's camp. Meanwhile, after hearing Shin Ichi's words, Chiyo and her brother immediately understood Shimura Danzō and Konoha's intentions.

"How disgusting!"

Chiyo's face was full of revulsion. They were truly repulsive.

"I hope we get more opponents like these."

Ebizo, however, chuckled. He rather liked opponents like that.

"You're getting more disgusting by the day."

Chiyo shot her brother a disdainful look, then turned serious and gave an order. "All troops, move out! Once Konoha and the Cloud ninjas engage, launch a direct assault on Uzushio Hidden Village. End it quickly. Our first priority is seizing the Sealing Technique."

Judging from the intelligence they had, Kumogakure was taking this seriously. They had sent nothing but elite troops, and even the Third Raikage had come.

He was said to be the strongest Raikage in history, with terrifying strength.

Konoha didn't have many people there. Even if they were all elite, they wouldn't be able to hold out for long. They had to move quickly, get the Sealing Technique they needed, and withdraw.

If they got the chance, they should wipe out the Uzumaki clan and leave no survivors, lest they become a threat later.

Rasa was excited. At last, the time for the decisive battle had come. It was a pity he hadn't been matched up against the Cloud ninjas; otherwise, he would have looked for an opportunity to kill that Tamura Hiroshi.

His intelligence was terrifying. He would undoubtedly become a formidable enemy to Sunagakure in the future, so the sooner they killed him, the better.

Karura and Pakura, standing nearby, were in a complicated state of mind. To be honest, they rather liked that kid. They hoped he wouldn't die in this war.

The Iwagakure Ninja Army on the other side had also received the intelligence Shin Ichi had sent. Its commander, Gari, reached the same conclusion as Chiyo and her brother and ordered his troops to rush toward Uzushio Hidden Village.

The strong fighters of Uzushio Hidden Village had just joined forces with Kumogakure to attack the Kirigakure Ninja Army. They must have been seriously depleted, making this the perfect time to strike.

The moment the ninjas of the various factions began gathering chakra and rushing toward them, the elders who had just returned to Uzushio Village sensed them.

"That's Shimura Danzō's chakra, along with more than a hundred others. They're all at least Jonin-level, and judging by their direction, they're heading toward the Cloud ninjas.

"The brats from Iwagakure and Sunagakure should be on their way to attack, too."

Uzumaki Ashina, who was repeatedly swallowing Ration Pills to force his chakra to recover, sensed them and then looked toward the clan head, who was also his eldest nephew.

The other four elders glared at the clan head, their hearts burning with anger. Konoha had clearly sent people here long ago, but they had stayed hidden until now—and then immediately attacked their allies, the Cloud ninjas.

They weren't even bothering to hide it anymore.

"Have the children escape through the tunnels. And every woman under thirty-five, whether single or married, must leave."

Uzumaki Masahiko spoke in a dejected voice. The outcome he had feared most had still come to pass.

This wasn't the will of Konoha as a whole, nor was it the intention of the Senju Clan or his sister. But for the Uzumaki clan, it was still deadly.

It took him a while to calm himself. He drew a deep breath, stood up, and looked around at everyone present, his expression resolute.

"The survival of our village and clan depends on this battle. Everyone, may fortune favor us in battle!"

"May fortune favor us in battle!"

Uzumaki Ashina and the others stood up, all looking resolute.

This was their home. They wouldn't abandon it. Now that the younger generation had a way out, they had nothing left to hold them back. They would fight a great battle, make the invaders pay dearly, and buy time for the others to escape.

At the same time, the Cloud Ninja Army, which had been cleaning up the battlefield at the Kirigakure Ninja Army's camp, also sprang into action, preparing to face the Konoha ninjas.

Though they had just fought a major battle and suffered heavy losses, Konoha hadn't brought many people this time. It wouldn't be difficult to hold them off.

Meanwhile, on the coast not far away, Dodai and Uzumaki Ashina's Shadow Clone handed a scroll to the leader of a Kirigakure ANBU squad.

He was a member of the Third Mizukage's ANBU, sent along with the army to keep an eye on the ninjas from the various clans.

He had heard a little about Kirigakure's internal situation. Back then, the Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hozuki had joined forces with several major clans to seize the Mizukage's position from the current Third Mizukage.

After taking power, the Third Mizukage had been at odds with those clans. He had even come up with the Blood Mist Policy to weaken and suppress them. The two sides were deeply divided, practically sworn enemies.

This was something they could exploit. If they handled it well, they could redirect the Kirigakure ninjas' resentment over this incident.

"We've carried out the plan we agreed on with the Mizukage. This is a Sealing Technique suitable for sealing the Three-Tails and Six-Tails. We hope that, in the wars to come, Kirigakure will form a lasting alliance with Uzushio Hidden Village and Kumogakure, helping one another."

Uzumaki Ashina's Shadow Clone spoke with a friendly expression, no longer showing any trace of the resentment he had just felt toward the Kirigakure Ninja Army.

Dodai wore the same friendly expression. This had all been planned in advance.

The ANBU squad leader was still utterly bewildered. Was this the Mizukage's scheme?

He had used Kumogakure and Uzushio Hidden Village to wipe out the elite members of the clans in his own village, and he had even obtained a Sealing Technique capable of sealing Tailed Beasts.

All he could say was... as expected of the Mizukage!

The few surviving Kirigakure ANBU behind him also marveled to themselves, realizing that it had all been part of the Mizukage's scheme.

Brilliant!

"Kirigakure will be steadfast allies with Kumogakure and Uzushio Hidden Village!"

Though still bewildered, the ANBU squad leader immediately responded.

At any rate, they had deliberately spared his life and given him this Tailed Beast Sealing Technique. It should all be genuine.

Besides, he was only a squad leader. The army that had set out this time had also included a company commander, but he had already fallen in battle. The commander must have known about this.

Though the commander had tragically died, the Mizukage's mission still had to be completed. He would take this Tailed Beast Sealing Technique back.

"We won't keep you any longer. Give the Mizukage our regards."

Dodai smiled broadly. It couldn't have gone better; the other side was cooperating so readily.

They would use this man to pin the blame on the Mizukage and stir up trouble inside Kirigakure.

Even if the Third Mizukage realized they had manipulated him, it wouldn't matter. The Tailed Beast Sealing Technique was real.

"Please give our regards to Lord Third Raikage and the Uzumaki Clan Head as well!"

The ANBU squad leader replied earnestly. Then he ordered his subordinates to hoist the sails, and the boat quickly set out to sea with the wind at its back.

"The Third Mizukage is ruthless!"

Uzumaki Ashina's Shadow Clone watched the boat grow smaller in the distance and sighed. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at a patch of seawater.

The Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique made it easy to hide underwater, but against the sensory abilities of the Uzumaki clan, it was worthless.

"He only lost the Mizukage's position to the Second Mizukage because he wasn't ruthless enough. Having learned his lesson, he won't show mercy again. Only by wiping out those clans can he secure his position as Mizukage."

Dodai played along, making it clear that the whole thing was the Third Mizukage's fault.

The two of them talked for a while before leaving. After they were gone, a head rose from the seawater. It belonged to a Hozuki ninja whom Hozuki Jagetsu had assigned to stay behind with the fleet. Sensing something amiss, he had immediately slipped into the water to hide.

"Third Mizukage!"

He growled in fury, then, not daring to linger, submerged and quickly swam away.

He had to return to the village as soon as possible and tell the clan head, as well as the other clans. Their clansmen couldn't have died for nothing. They had to make the Third Mizukage pay.